Texts+vocab+profiled


 * the **** information **** revolution **** will **** transform **** education **
 * a **
 * schools **** usually **** reflect **** the **** societies **** in **** which **** they **** are **** in **** take **** the **** example **** of **** america **** number **** years **** ago **** people **** only **** needed **** a **** little **** learning **** from **** books **** because **** most **** people **** still **** lived **** a **** simple **** life **** based **** on **** farming **** school **** started **** quite **** late **** in **** the **** day **** and **** ended **** early **** to **** leave **** time **** for **** the **** jobs **** students **** did **** for **** their **** families **** in **** summer **** school **** stopped **** so **** children **** could **** help **** their **** parents **** in **** the **** fields **** there **** were **** only **** a **** few **** subjects **** controlled **** largely **** by **** the **** teacher **** and **** the **** aim **** was **** on **** developing **** basic **** skills **


 * in **** that **** world **** the **** one **** room **** schoolhouse **** was **** enough **** teachers **** taught **** reading **** writing **** and **** simple **** mathematics **** to **** help **** with **** the **** skills **** students **** learned **** outside **** school **** since **** only **** few **** students **** went **** as **** far **** as **** high **** school **** the **** need **** for **** higher **** levels **** of **** education **** like **** college **** and **** university **** was **** very **** small **


 * by **** the **** late **** numbers **** more **** and **** more **** people **** were **** moving **** to **** cities **** and **** going **** to **** work **** in **** factories **** to **** teach **** students **** the **** basic **** skills **** and **** simple **** facts **** they **** needed **** for **** jobs **** in **** factories **** the **** first **** great **** revolution **** in **** schooling **** took **** place **** the **** factory **** school **** model **** appeared **** schools **** were **** very **** big **** with **** many **** classrooms **** where **** students **** sat **** in **** neat **** rows **** with **** the **** teacher **** in **** front **** schools **** aimed **** at **** producing **** students **** with **** exactly **** the **** same **** types **** of **** skills **** students **** learned **** enough **** to **** work **** at **** jobs **** in **** factories **** that **** they **** would **** probably **** keep **** for **** most **** of **** their **** lives **** today **** many **** students **** still **** attend **** factory **** model **** schools **


 * much **** of **** the **** day **** is **** spent **** only **** listening **** to **** lectures **** many **** classes **** teach **** skills **** for **** jobs **** that **** either **** no **** longer **** exist **** or **** will **** not **** exist **** when **** students **** grow **** up **** it **** is **** clear **** that **** this **** type **** of **** schooling **** is **** not **** enough **** for **** the **** modern **** world **** only **** about **** number **** percent **** of **** working **** people **** now **** work **** in **** factories **** or **** on **** farms **** people **** graduating **** from **** high **** school **** or **** college **** will **** average **** six **** to **** eight **** jobs **** over **** their **** careers **** many **** of **** them **** requiring **** skills **** they **** do **** not **** know **** about **** yet **** about **** half **** of **** all **** employed **** americans **** work **** with **** information **** studying **** information **** that **** already **** exists **** generating **** new **** information **** storing **** and **** retrieving **** information **** soon **** a **** major **** part **** of **** this **** group **** will **** not **** even **** work **** in **** an **** office **** but **** at **** home **** most **** people **** agree **** that **** this **** new **** way **** of **** life **** needs **** a **** new **** type **** of **** education **


 * in **** this **** new **** kind **** of **** school **** all **** students **** will **** need **** to **** reach **** much **** higher **** standards **** of **** learning **** because **** everyone **** will **** have **** to **** be **** able **** to **** think **** to **** get **** a **** good **** job **** people **** will **** also **** have **** to **** be **** able **** to **** learn **** many **** new **** skills **** from **** when **** they **** are **** young **** to **** when **** they **** are **** older **** this **** new **** type **** of **** education **** will **** increase **** the **** links **** between **** students **** and **** their **** communities **** the **** timing **** and **** location **** of **** education **** will **** also **** be **** more **** flexible **** to **** suit **** and **** take **** advantage **** of **** changes **** in **** the **** workplace **** students **** will **** be **** expected **** to **** learn **** inside **** schools **** and **** outside **** of **** them **** too **


 * technology **** and **** the **** new **** model **** of **** learning **** and **** teaching **


 * technology **** is **** changing **** the **** world **** and **** with **** it **** education **** it **** offers **** many **** new **** ways **** of **** learning **** of **** teaching **** and **** of **** running **** schools **** it **** provides **** new **** ways **** for **** everyone **** in **** education **** to **** communicate **** openly **** with **** parents **** communities **** and **** students **


 * yet **** technology **** by **** itself **** is **** clearly **** not **** enough **** traditional **** schools **** have **** pushed **** individual **** performance **** and **** competition **** and **** have **** tried **** to **** stop **** students **** from **** working **** or **** even **** talking **** together **** in **** the **** new **** model **** of **** school **** the **** skills **** needed **** in **** today **** workplace **** such **** as **** critical **** thinking **** teamwork **** compromise **** and **** communication **** are **** important **** classroom **** experiences **


 * this **** model **** of **** education **** means **** that **** students **** teachers **** and **** schools **** will **** need **** to **** change **** the **** way **** they **** work **** in **** the **** new **** model **** of **** school **** students **** do **** many **** of **** the **** things **** that **** teachers **** did **** in **** the **** past **** in **** small **** groups **** individual **** students **** help **** each **** other **** because **** they **** are **** often **** the **** ones **** who **** know **** most **** about **** new **** technologies **** like **** the **** internet **** students **** lead **** by **** example **** helping **** their **** classmates **** work **** on **** problems **** in **** this **** way **** students **** begin **** learning **** from **** an **** early **** age **** how **** to **** communicate **** and **** how **** to **** take **** on **** greater **** responsibility **** for **** their **** own **** education **


 * in **** the **** past **** teachers **** were **** the **** bank **** of **** all **** knowledge **** but **** in **** the **** new **** model **** they **** act **** as **** guides **** who **** help **** students **** move **** through **** the **** information **** that **** technology **** makes **** available **** they **** help **** students **** collect **** and **** organize **** information **** decide **** on **** its **** value **** and **** decide **** how **** to **** present **** it **** to **** others **** moving **** from **** group **** to **** group **** and **** from **** student **** to **** student **** teachers **** help **** students **** stay **** focused **** and **** working **** at **** the **** limits **** of **** their **** abilities **


 * a **** new **** model **** of **** education **


 * in **** this **** new **** model **** of **** school **** education **** looks **** different **** than **** it **** does **** in **** most **** schools **** today **** schools **** might **** be **** open **** all **** day **** and **** all **** year **** with **** groups **** of **** students **** coming **** in **** and **** out **** of **** classes **** classrooms **** might **** have **** students **** of **** different **** ages **** traditional **** number **** minute **** classes **** will **** become **** longer **** or **** disappear **** to **** suit **** activities **** made **** possible **** by **** technology **** longer **** projects **** will **** include **** different **** subjects **** bringing **** together **** information **** that **** was **** covered **** before **** in **** different **** classes **


 * schools **** could **** be **** found **** in **** unlikely **** places **** such **** as **** office **** buildings **** or **** more **** traditional **** schools **** may **** have **** classrooms **** connected **** to **** businesses **** hospitals **** or **** homes **** secondary **** schools **** may **** make **** new **** links **** with **** colleges **** and **** community **** institutions **** to **** make **** the **** move **** from **** school **** to **** work **** easier **** individual **** classes **** will **** be **** connected **** to **** workplaces **** providing **** job **** training **** that **** is **** far **** better **** and **** more **** useful **** than **** what **** is **** offered **** today **** technologies **** used **** at **** home **** will **** share **** lesson **** plans **** homework **** and **** tests **** both **** with **** students **** and **** their **** parents **


 * the **** end **** goal **** of **** this **** new **** model **** of **** education **** is **** to **** encourage **** groups **** of **** lifelong **** learners **** where **** thinking **** and **** co-operation **** is **** seen **** as **** very **** important **** within **** these **** communities **** decisions **** will **** be **** made **** by **** those **** in **** the **** best **** position **** to **** make **** them **** by **** students **** teachers **** and **** educational **** administrators **


 * digital **** natives **** digital **** immigrants **
 * by **** marc **** prensky **


 * today **** students **** are **** not **** just **** very **** different **** from **** those **** of **** the **** past **** nor **** simply **** changed **** their **** slang **** clothes **** body **** adornments **** or **** styles **** as **** has **** happened **** between **** generations **** previously **** a **** really **** big **** change **** has **** taken **** place **** an **** event **** which **** changes **** things **** so **** fundamentally **** that **** there **** is **** absolutely **** no **** going **** back **** this **** change **** is **** the **** arrival **** and **** rapid **** dissemination **** of **** digital **** technology **** in **** the **** last **** decades **** of **** the **** number **** century **


 * today **** students **** through **** college **** represent **** the **** first **** generations **** to **** grow **** up **** with **** this **** new **** technology **** they **** have **** spent **** their **** whole **** lives **** surrounded **** by **** and **** using **** computers **** videogames **** digital **** music **** players **** video **** cams **** cell **** phones **** and **** all **** the **** other **** toys **** and **** tools **** of **** the **** digital **** age **** today **** average **** college **** grads **** have **** spent **** less **** than **** number **** number **** hours **** of **** their **** lives **** reading **** but **** over **** number **** number **** hours **** playing **** video **** games **** not **** to **** mention **** number **** number **** hours **** watching **** tv **** computer **** games **** email **** the **** internet **** cell **** phones **** and **** instant **** messaging **** are **** integral **** parts **** of **** their **** lives **


 * it **** is **** now **** clear **** that **** as **** a **** result **** of **** this **** today **** students **** think **** and **** process **** information **** fundamentally **** differently **** from **** their **** predecessors **** these **** differences **** go **** far **** further **** and **** deeper **** than **** most **** educators **** suspect **** or **** realize **** different **** kinds **** of **** experiences **** lead **** to **** different **** brain **** structures **** says **** dr **** bruce **** perry **** of **** baylor **** college **** of **** medicine **** as **** we **** shall **** see **** in **** the **** next **** installment **** it **** is **** very **** likely **** that **** our **** students **** brains **** have **** physically **** changed **** and **** are **** different **** from **** ours **** as **** a **** result **** of **** how **** they **** grew **** up **** but **** whether **** or **** not **** this **** is **** literally **** true **** we **** can **** say **** with **** certainty **** that **** their **** thinking **** patterns **** have **** changed **** i **** will **** get **** to **** how **** they **** have **** changed **** in **** a **** minute **


 * what **** should **** we **** call **** these **** new **** students **** of **** today **** some **** refer **** to **** them **** as **** the **** for **** net **** gen **** or **** for **** digital **** gen **** but **** the **** most **** useful **** designation **** i **** have **** found **** for **** them **** is **** digital **** natives **** our **** students **** today **** are **** all **** native **** speakers **** of **** the **** digital **** language **** of **** computers **** video **** games **** and **** the **** internet **


 * so **** what **** does **** that **** make **** the **** rest **** of **** us **** those **** of **** us **** who **** were **** not **** born **** into **** the **** digital **** world **** but **** have **** at **** some **** later **** point **** in **** our **** lives **** become **** fascinated **** by **** and **** adopted **** many **** or **** most **** aspects **** of **** the **** new **** technology **** are **** and **** always **** will **** be **** compared **** to **** them **** digital **** immigrants **


 * the **** importance **** of **** the **** distinction **** is **** this **** as **** digital **** immigrants **** learn **** like **** all **** immigrants **** some **** better **** than **** others **** to **** adapt **** to **** their **** environment **** they **** always **** retain **** to **** some **** degree **** their **** foot **** in **** the **** past **** this **** can **** be **** seen **** in **** such **** things **** as **** turning **** to **** the **** internet **** for **** information **** second **** rather **** than **** first **** or **** in **** reading **** the **** manual **** for **** a **** program **** rather **** than **** assuming **** that **** the **** program **** itself **** will **** teach **** us **** to **** use **** it **** today **** older **** folk **** were **** socialized **** differently **** from **** their **** kids **** and **** are **** now **** in **** the **** process **** of **** learning **** a **** new **** language **** and **** a **** language **** learned **** later **** in **** life **** scientists **** tell **** us **** goes **** into **** a **** different **** part **** of **** the **** brain **


 * this **** is **** obvious **** to **** the **** digital **** natives **** school **** often **** feels **** pretty **** much **** as **** if **** we **** have **** brought **** in **** a **** population **** of **** heavily **** accented **** unintelligible **** foreigners **** to **** lecture **** them **** they **** often **** can **** not **** understand **** what **** the **** immigrants **** are **** saying **** what **** does **** dial **** a **** number **** mean **** anyway **


 * lest **** this **** perspective **** appear **** radical **** rather **** than **** just **** descriptive **** let **** me **** highlight **** some **** of **** the **** issues **** digital **** natives **** are **** used **** to **** receiving **** information **** really **** fast **** they **** like **** to **** parallel **** process **** and **** multi **** task **** they **** prefer **** their **** graphics **** before **** their **** text **** rather **** than **** the **** opposite **** they **** prefer **** random **** access **** like **** hypertext **** they **** function **** best **** when **** networked **** they **** thrive **** on **** instant **** gratification **** and **** frequent **** rewards **** they **** prefer **** games **** to **** serious **** work **** does **** any **** of **** this **** sound **** familiar **


 * but **** digital **** immigrants **** typically **** have **** very **** little **** appreciation **** for **** these **** new **** skills **** that **** the **** natives **** have **** acquired **** and **** perfected **** through **** years **** of **** interaction **** and **** practice **** these **** skills **** are **** almost **** totally **** foreign **** to **** the **** immigrants **** who **** themselves **** learned **** and **** so **** choose **** to **** teach **** slowly **** step **** by **** step **** one **** thing **** at **** a **** time **** individually **** and **** above **** all **** seriously **** my **** students **** just **** do **** not **** like **** they **** used **** to **** digital **** immigrant **** educators **** grouse **** i **** can **** not **** get **** them **** to **** or **** to **** they **** have **** no **** appreciation **** for **** or **** fill **** in **** the **** blanks **** there **** are **** a **** wide **** variety **** of **** choices **


 * digital **** immigrants **** do **** not **** believe **** their **** students **** can **** learn **** successfully **** while **** watching **** tv **** or **** listening **** to **** music **** because **** they **** the **** immigrants **** can **** not **** of **** course **** not **** they **** did **** not **** practice **** this **** skill **** constantly **** for **** all **** of **** their **** formative **** years **** digital **** immigrants **** think **** learning **** can **** not **** or **** should **** not **** be **** fun **** why **** should **** they **** they **** did **** not **** spend **** their **** formative **** years **** learning **** with **** sesame **** street **


 * digital **** immigrant **** teachers **** assume **** that **** learners **** are **** the **** same **** as **** they **** have **** always **** been **** and **** that **** the **** same **** methods **** that **** worked **** for **** the **** teachers **** when **** they **** were **** students **** will **** work **** for **** their **** students **** now **** but **** that **** assumption **** is **** no **** longer **** valid **** today&#number **** learners **** are **** different **


 * so **** what **** should **** happen **** should **** the **** digital **** native **** students **** learn **** the **** old **** ways **** or **** should **** their **** digital **** immigrant **** educators **** learn **** the **** new **** unfortunately **** no **** matter **** how **** much **** the **** immigrants **** may **** wish **** it **** it **** is **** highly **** unlikely **** the **** digital **** natives **** will **** go **** backwards **** in **** the **** first **** place **** it **** may **** be **** impossible **** their **** brains **** may **** already **** be **** different **** it **** also **** flies **** in **** the **** face **** of **** everything **** we **** know **** about **** cultural **** migration **** kids **** born **** into **** any **** new **** culture **** learn **** the **** new **** language **** easily **** and **** forcefully **** resist **** using **** the **** old **** smart **** adult **** immigrants **** accept **** that **** they **** do **** not **** know **** about **** their **** new **** world **** and **** take **** advantage **** of **** their **** kids **** to **** help **** them **** learn **** and **** integrate **** not **** so **** smart **** or **** not **** so **** flexible **** immigrants **** spend **** most **** of **** their **** time **** grousing **** about **** how **** good **** things **** were **** in **** the **** old **** country **


 * so **** unless **** we **** want **** to **** just **** forget **** about **** educating **** digital **** natives **** until **** they **** grow **** up **** and **** do **** it **** themselves **** we **** had **** better **** confront **** this **** issue **** and **** in **** so **** doing **** we **** need **** to **** reconsider **** both **** our **** methodology **** and **** our **** content **


 * first **** our **** methodology **** today **** teachers **** have **** to **** learn **** to **** communicate **** in **** the **** language **** and **** style **** of **** their **** students **** this **** does **** not **** mean **** changing **** the **** meaning **** of **** what **** is **** important **** or **** of **** good **** thinking **** skills **** but **** it **** does **** mean **** going **** faster **** less **** step **** by **** step **** more **** in **** parallel **** with **** more **** random **** access **** among **** other **** things **** educators **** might **** ask **** but **** how **** do **** we **** teach **** logic **** in **** this **** fashion **** while **** it **** is **** not **** immediately **** clear **** we **** do **** need **** to **** figure **** it **** out **
 * second **** our **** content **** it **** seems **** to **** me **** that **** after **** the **** digital **** singularity **** there **** are **** now **** two **** kinds **** of **** content **** legacy **** content **** to **** borrow **** the **** computer **** term **** for **** old **** systems **** and **** future **** content **** legacy **** content **** includes **** reading **** writing **** arithmetic **** logical **** thinking **** understanding **** the **** writings **** and **** ideas **** of **** the **** past **** etc **** all **** of **** our **** traditional **** curriculum **** it **** is **** of **** course **** still **** important **** but **** it **** is **** from **** a **** different **** era **** some **** of **** it **** such **** as **** logical **** thinking **** will **** continue **** to **** be **** important **** but **** some **** perhaps **** like **** euclidean **** geometry **** will **** become **** less **** so **** as **** did **** latin **** and **** greek **** future **** content **** is **** to **** a **** large **** extent **** not **** surprisingly **** digital **** and **** technological **** but **** while **** it **** includes **** software **** hardware **** robotics **** nanotechnology **** genomics **** etc **** it **** also **** includes **** the **** ethics **** politics **** sociology **** languages **** and **** other **** things **** that **** go **** with **** them **** this **** future **** content **** is **** extremely **** interesting **** to **** today **** students **** but **** how **** many **** digital **** immigrants **** are **** prepared **** to **** teach **** it **** someone **** once **** suggested **** to **** me **** that **** kids **** should **** only **** be **** allowed **** to **** use **** computers **** in **** school **** that **** they **** have **** built **** themselves **** it **** is **** a **** brilliant **** idea **** that **** is **** very **** doable **** from **** the **** point **** of **** view **** of **** the **** students&#number **** capabilities **** but **** who **** could **** teach **** it **


 * as **** educators **** we **** need **** to **** be **** thinking **** about **** how **** to **** teach **** both **** legacy **** and **** future **** content **** in **** the **** language **** of **** the **** digital **** natives **** the **** first **** involves **** a **** major **** translation **** and **** change **** of **** methodology **** the **** second **** involves **** all **** that **** plus **** new **** content **** and **** thinking **** it **** is **** not **** actually **** clear **** to **** me **** which **** is **** harder **** learning **** new **** stuff **** or **** learning **** new **** ways **** to **** do **** old **** stuff **** i **** suspect **** it **** is **** the **** latter **


 * we **** need **** to **** invent **** digital **** native **** methodologies **** for **** all **** subjects **** at **** all **** levels **** using **** our **** students **** to **** guide **** us **** the **** process **** has **** already **** begun **** i **** know **** college **** professors **** inventing **** games **** for **** teaching **** subjects **** ranging **** from **** math **** to **** engineering **** to **** the **** spanish **** inquisition **** we **** need **** to **** find **** ways **** of **** publicizing **** and **** spreading **** their **** successes **


 * a **** frequent **** objection **** i **** hear **** from **** digital **** immigrant **** educators **** is **** this **** approach **** is **** great **** for **** facts **** but **** it **** would **** not **** work **** for **** my **** subject **** number **** nonsense **** this **** is **** just **** rationalization **** and **** lack **** of **** imagination **** in **** my **** talks **** i **** now **** include **** thought **** experiments **** where **** i **** invite **** professors **** and **** teachers **** to **** suggest **** a **** subject **** or **** topic **** and **** i **** attempt **** on **** the **** spot **** to **** invent **** a **** game **** or **** other **** digital **** native **** method **** for **** learning **** it **** classical **** philosophy **** create **** a **** game **** in **** which **** the **** philosophers **** debate **** and **** the **** learners **** have **** to **** pick **** out **** what **** each **** would **** say **


 * it **** is **** just **** dumb **** and **** lazy **** of **** educators **** not **** to **** mention **** ineffective **** to **** presume **** that **** despite **** their **** traditions **** the **** digital **** immigrant **** way **** is **** the **** only **** way **** to **** teach **** and **** that **** the **** digital **** natives&#number **** language **** is **** not **** as **** capable **** as **** their **** own **** of **** encompassing **** any **** and **** every **** idea **


 * so **** if **** digital **** immigrant **** educators **** really **** want **** to **** reach **** digital **** natives **** i **** all **** their **** students **** they **** will **** have **** to **** change **** it **** is **** high **** time **** for **** them **** to **** stop **** their **** moaning **** and **** as **** the **** nike **** motto **** of **** the **** digital **** native **** generation **** says **** just **** do **** it **** they **** will **** succeed **** in **** the **** long **** run **** and **** their **** successes **** will **** come **** that **** much **** sooner **** if **** their **** administrators **** support **** them **


 * are **** today **** students **** different **
 * are **** today **** students **** different **** usually **** when **** a **** discussion **** starts **** about **** digital **** natives **** digital **** immigrants **** prensky **** number **** generation **** next **** kohut **** parker **** keeter **** doherty **** dimock **** number **** or **** the **** digital **** generation **** montgomery **** number **** i **** tend **** to **** change **** the **** focus **** of **** the **** conversation **** from **** these **** labels **** to **** the **** needs **** of **** learners **** and **** research **** based **** tried **** and **** tested **** strategies **** that **** have **** resulted **** in **** positive **** learning **** outcomes **** i **** often **** do **** this **** because **** i **** find **** such **** labels **** problematic **** it **** is **** important **** to **** recognize **** that **** a **** digital **** divide **** dickard **** schneider **** number **** exists **** and **** is **** more **** pervasive **** than **** many **** might **** like **** to **** even **** consider **** and **** i **** am **** not **** convinced **** learners **** are **** really **** any **** different **** it **** is **** our **** society **** that **** is **** and **** the **** tools **** with **** which **** we **** have **** to **** work **** and **** communicate **** that **** are **** different **


 * another **** challenge **** with **** assigning **** labels **** to **** learners **** today **** whether **** they **** were **** born **** digital **** palfrey **** gasser **** number **** or **** not **** is **** that **** these **** terms **** and **** their **** meanings **** do **** not **** accurately **** represent **** every **** person **** that **** might **** fall **** into **** such **** categories **** these **** terms **** are **** full **** of **** assumptions **** and **** biases **** that **** can **** seriously **** cloud **** an **** instructor **** and **** employer **** perception **** of **** an **** individual **** vaidhyanathan **** number **** has **** written **** an **** article **** in **** the **** chronicle **** of **** higher **** education **** that **** raises **** a **** similar **** argument **** as **** he **** notes **


 * talk **** of **** a **** digital **** generation **** or **** people **** who **** are **** born **** digital **** ignores **** the **** vast **** range **** of **** skills **** knowledge **** and **** experience **** of **** many **** parts **** of **** society **** it **** ignores **** the **** needs **** and **** perspectives **** of **** those **** young **** people **** who **** are **** not **** socially **** or **** financially **** privileged **** it **** presumes **** equal **** access **** to **** resources **** time **** knowledge **** skills **** and **** technologies **** the **** ethnic **** national **** gender **** and **** class **** biases **** of **** any **** sort **** of **** generation **** talk **** are **** troubling **** and **** they **** are **** especially **** the **** case **** when **** discussing **** assumptions **** about **** digital **** media **** vaidhyanathan **** number **** paragraph **** number **


 * therefore **** it **** is **** important **** for **** educators **** at **** all **** levels **** and **** employers **** and **** instructional **** designers **** as **** well **** to **** recognize **** that **** while **** some **** individuals **** might **** fit **** the **** characteristics **** of **** various **** labels **** it **** is **** critical **** to **** recognize **** that **** an **** individual **** is **** indeed **** an **** individual **** and **** unfounded **** assumptions **** should **** not **** be **** made **** about **** him **** or **** her **** in **** a **** virtual **** distance **** learning **** environment **** this **** takes **** on **** even **** greater **** importance **** considering **** one **** does **** not **** have **** the **** opportunity **** for **** face **** to **** face **** interactions **** as **** one **** would **** in **** a **** normal **** setting **


 * while **** i **** am **** not **** convinced **** that **** learners **** today **** are **** different **** i **** accept **** that **** it **** is **** possible **** that **** interactions **** with **** technology **** and **** technology **** influence **** on **** brain **** development **** might **** actually **** have **** effects **** which **** we **** have **** not **** discovered **** or **** understood **** yet **** for **** example **** research **** on **** number **** adults **** shows **** that **** regular **** use **** of **** the **** internet **** by **** these **** individuals **** created **** double **** the **** amount **** of **** activity **** in **** their **** brains **** when **** compared **** to **** individuals **** who **** used **** the **** internet **** irregularly **** interlandi **** number **** even **** so **** it **** is **** important **** to **** remember **** that **** research **** in **** this **** area **** is **** new **** therefore **** any **** generalizations **** about **** the **** implications **** and **** effects **** of **** digital **** technologies **** on **** the **** human **** brain **** without **** more **** research **** on **** larger **** populations **** and **** populations **** with **** different **** backgrounds **** is **** simply **** premature **


 * shifting **** the **** focus **** on **** students **** and **** their **** needs **


 * whether **** one **** agrees **** with **** the **** idea **** that **** students **** today **** are **** different **** or **** not **** it **** is **** imperative **** that **** educators **** employers **** and **** instructional **** designers **** shift **** their **** focus **** from **** how **** students **** today **** might **** be **** different **** to **** how **** should **** i **** design **** instruction **** to **** meet **** the **** needs **** of **** my **** target **** audience **** and **** what **** do **** i **** need **** to **** change **** to **** meet **** the **** needs **** of **** my **** learners **** this **** does **** not **** mean **** adding **** gimmicks **** the **** latest **** technology **** or **** other **** bells **** and **** whistles **** to **** keep **** learners **** attention **** or **** just **** to **** seem **** current **** or **** innovative **** rather **** it **** means **** making **** thoughtful **** informed **** decisions **** about **** how **** to **** engage **** learners **** in **** the **** process **** of **** learning **** accepting **** learners **** for **** who **** they **** are **** understanding **** learners **** strengths **** and **** weaknesses **** helping **** them **** build **** on **** their **** strengths **** and **** diminish **** their **** weaknesses **** and **** capitalizing **** on **** their **** neomillenial **** learning **** styles **** dede **** number **** it **** means **** putting **** learning **** and **** learners **** first **** reflecting **** on **** what **** works **** and **** what **** does **** not **** and **** changing **** instruction **** to **** meet **** the **** diverse **** needs **** of **** one **** target **** audience **** and **** not **** blaming **** individuals **** for **** being **** different **** than **** students **** one **** might **** have **** had **** number **** years **** ago **


 * new **** technologies **** will **** continue **** to **** challenge **** our **** assumptions **** about **** teaching **** and **** learning **** not **** only **** for **** distance **** education **** but **** also **** for **** face **** to **** face **** and **** blended **** hybrid **** learning **** environments **** are **** today **** learners **** different **** i **** do **** not **** think **** so **** until **** proven **** otherwise **** but **** the **** digital **** tools **** available **** today **** for **** learning **** teaching **** and **** communicating **** are **** just **** think **** numerous **** technologies **** available **** as **** this **** article **** goes **** to **** press **** did **** not **** even **** exist **** a **** few **** years **** ago **


 * the **** digital **** divide **
 * according **** to **** some **** the **** development **** of **** information **** and **** communications **** technology **** is **** increasing **** the **** gap **** between **** the **** rich **** and **** the **** poor **** those **** with **** knowledge **** and **** those **** without **** the **** information **** rich **** and **** the **** information **** poor **** instead **** of **** closing **** the **** divide **** the **** introduction **** of **** more **** ict **** further **** increases **** social **** and **** economic **** divides **** not **** only **** between **** rich **** and **** poor **** countries **** but **** also **** among **** various **** socioeconomic **** groups **** within **** countries **


 * others **** argue **** that **** ict **** decreases **** the **** divide **** by **** involving **** countries **** in **** the **** global **** economy **** and **** providing **** them **** access **** to **** global **** knowledge **** and **** information **** for **** development **** nonetheless **** there **** are **** stark **** differences **** in **** access **** across **** the **** world **** according **** to **** gender **** geography **** i **** urban **** versus **** rural **** income **** education **** age **** occupation **** and **** even **** ethnicity **** and **** race **** the **** groups **** with **** the **** greatest **** access **** to **** new **** information **** and **** communications **** technology **** are **** generally **** well **** educated **** high **** income **** urban **** males **** poor **** illiterate **** females **** in **** rural **** areas **** are **** least **** likely **** to **** have **** access **** to **** ict **


 * the **** digital **** divide **** in **** education **


 * the **** global **** dimensions **** of **** the **** digital **** divide **** are **** most **** clearly **** seen **** in **** education **** at **** the **** beginning **** of **** the **** twenty **** first **** century **** many **** industrialized **** countries **** had **** begun **** to **** gear **** up **** their **** education **** systems **** for **** the **** knowledge **** economy **** by **** making **** major **** investments **** in **** computers **** for **** classrooms **** in **** networking **** their **** schools **** and **** in **** training **** teachers **** to **** use **** technology **** in **** their **** teaching **** thus **** in **** the **** united **** states **** the **** ratio **** of **** students **** to **** instructional **** computers **** reached **** five **** to **** one **** and **** number **** percent **** of **** schools **** were **** connected **** to **** the **** internet **** in **** the **** united **** kingdom **** the **** ratio **** of **** students **** to **** computers **** was **** twelve **** to **** one **** in **** primary **** school **** and **** seven **** to **** one **** in **** secondary **** school **** while **** access **** to **** the **** internet **** was **** virtually **** universal **** as **** it **** was **** in **** the **** european **** union **** as **** a **** whole **


 * in **** contrast **** most **** of **** the **** developing **** countries **** with **** few **** exceptions **** were **** more **** concerned **** with **** very **** difficult **** educational **** issues **** low **** primary **** and **** secondary **** school **** enrollments **** inadequately **** trained **** teachers **** little **** or **** no **** access **** to **** textbooks **** and **** ineffective **** school **** management **** rather **** than **** with **** improving **** ict **** the **** exceptions **** were **** a **** small **** number **** of **** countries **** in **** asia **** latin **** america **** and **** other **** parts **** of **** the **** developing **** world **** that **** began **** introducing **** computers **** in **** classrooms **** networking **** schools **** and **** developing **** digital **** content **** to **** address **** the **** educational **** requirements **** of **** the **** global **** knowledge **** economy **


 * education **** and **** technology **** in **** the **** balance **


 * does **** access **** to **** computers **** and **** the **** internet **** give **** the **** education **** systems **** of **** industrialized **** countries **** an **** advantage **** over **** those **** in **** developing **** countries **


 * while **** there **** has **** been **** good **** progress **** in **** providing **** access **** to **** ict **** in **** schools **** and **** universities **** in **** industrialized **** countries **** the **** expected **** benefits **** to **** education **** as **** noted **** have **** been **** difficult **** to **** measure **** number **** increasing **** productive **** teaching **** and **** learning **** number **** transforming **** teaching **** and **** learning **** from **** traditional **** textbook **** lessons **** to **** more **** learner **** friendly **** student **** centered **** approaches **** that **** use **** powerful **** interactive **** tools **** and **** methods **** and **** number **** equipping **** students **** with **** higher **** order **** thinking **** and **** problem **** solving **** skills **** that **** prepare **** them **** for **** life **** in **** an **** information **** based **** society **** and **** workplace **


 * the **** experience **** of **** the **** industrialized **** countries **** would **** suggest **** that **** access **** to **** the **** internet **** and **** the **** wealth **** of **** knowledge **** and **** information **** it **** provides **** does **** not **** automatically **** lead **** to **** measurable **** improvements **** in **** the **** quality **** of **** teaching **** and **** learning **** in **** schools **** rather **** such **** improvements **** are **** the **** result **** of **** parallel **** efforts **** to **** enhance **** the **** teaching **** and **** learning **** process **** by **** training **** teachers **** reducing **** class **** size **** making **** textbooks **** available **** and **** establishing **** standards **** of **** learning **** nonetheless **** it **** is **** obvious **** that **** school **** systems **** everywhere **** and **** especially **** in **** the **** developing **** countries **** need **** to **** find **** ways **** of **** providing **** more **** students **** with **** regular **** and **** frequent **** access **** to **** information **** and **** communications **** technology **** and **** to **** enable **** students **** to **** acquire **** the **** knowledge **** and **** skills **** needed **** to **** support **** a **** knowledge **** economy **


 * bridging **** the **** digital **** divide **
 * the **** developing **** countries **** face **** massive **** challenges **** in **** bridging **** the **** digital **** divide **** in **** education **** what **** are **** these **** challenges **** and **** is **** progress **** possible **** in **** order **** to **** bridge **** the **** digital **** divide **** in **** education **** developing **** countries **** will **** first **** need **** to **** overcome **** the **** key **** constraints **** to **** the **** development **** of **** ict **** in **** general **** too **** often **** programs **** fail **** to **** address **** the **** problems **** in **** an **** effective **** way **** this **** would **** involve **** the **** improvement **** of **** information **** infrastructure **** and **** a **** reduction **** in **** internet **** costs **** in **** developing **** countries **** leading **** to **** a **** broadening **** of **** the **** information **** society **** there **** and **** for **** more **** widespread **** and **** cost **** effective **** use **** of **** new **** technologies **** to **** improve **** education **


 * even **** with **** the **** best **** of **** intentions **** however **** achieving **** these **** goals **** will **** not **** be **** easy **** for **** developing **** countries **** they **** lack **** both **** the **** money **** and **** the **** technical **** knowhow **** to **** overcome **** infrastructure **** and **** human **** resource **** limitations **


 * many **** feel **** that **** advances **** in **** technology **** will **** help **** bridge **** the **** digital **** divide **** between **** industrial **** and **** developing **** countries **** overall **** the **** spread **** of **** internet **** access **** is **** expected **** to **** be **** rapid **** in **** the **** first **** decade **** of **** the **** twenty **** first **** century **** indeed **** access **** to **** information **** over **** the **** internet **** is **** already **** being **** greatly **** increased **** around **** the **** world **** the **** development **** of **** wireless **** telecommunications **** is **** also **** expected **** to **** facilitate **** access **** to **** the **** internet **** in **** remote **** rural **** areas **** where **** telephone **** service **** has **** been **** unavailable **** and **** above **** all **** computers **** are **** likely **** to **** become **** both **** pervasive **** and **** affordable **** not **** just **** on **** the **** desk **** top **** and **** as **** handheld **** appliances **** but **** embedded **** in **** intelligent **** objects **** everywhere **


 * while **** access **** to **** computers **** and **** telecommunications **** networks **** is **** necessary **** to **** bridge **** the **** digital **** divide **** access **** alone **** is **** not **** sufficient **** to **** ensure **** that **** education **** systems **** in **** developing **** countries **** benefit **** from **** the **** internet **** revolution **** the **** governments **** of **** these **** countries **** also **** need **** to **** number **** train **** teachers **** and **** trainers **** to **** exploit **** the **** potential **** of **** learning **** technologies **** number **** offer **** free **** or **** inexpensive **** internet **** access **** to **** schools **** number **** foster **** capacity **** to **** develop **** content **** and **** instructional **** resources **** in **** their **** own **** language **** number **** build **** networks **** and **** well **** maintained **** facilities **** for **** both **** accessing **** knowledge **** and **** providing **** affordable **** lifelong **** learning **** and **** skill **** upgrading **** and **** number **** preserve **** the **** freedom **** of **** teachers **** and **** students **** to **** explore **** the **** myriad **** educational **** resources **** on **** the **** web **** without **** filtering **** and **** censorship **** such **** as **** that **** which **** exists **** in **** china **** saudi **** arabia **** iran **** and **** other **** countries **


 * both **** industrialized **** and **** developing **** countries **** must **** also **** seek **** to **** address **** the **** digital **** divide **** between **** rich **** and **** poor **** the **** united **** states **** has **** made **** significant **** progress **** in **** bridging **** the **** gap **** although **** there **** are **** still **** considerable **** problems **** especially **** in **** instructional **** practice **** that **** is **** in **** how **** effectively **** modern **** learning **** technologies **** are **** being **** used **** with **** different **** groups **** of **** students **** in **** the **** developing **** countries **** public **** policies **** to **** promote **** competition **** which **** lowers **** prices **** and **** improves **** quality **** and **** to **** make **** new **** technologies **** more **** accessible **** will **** ultimately **** influence **** availability **** and **** adoption **** of **** technology **** and **** access **** however **** special **** community **** based **** programs **** by **** governments **** and **** nongovernmental **** organizations **** involving **** marginalized **** or **** rural **** communities **** women **** and **** minorities **** are **** also **** essential **** for **** bridging **** the **** digital **** divide **


 * closing **** the **** digital **** divide **
 * tony **** cox **** host **** while **** the **** world **** wide **** web **** has **** sped **** up **** the **** global **** pace **** of **** communication **** not **** everyone **** is **** up **** to **** speed **** it **** is **** called **** the **** digital **** divide **** and **** it **** describes **** the **** gap **** between **** those **** who **** have **** significant **** access **** to **** the **** internet **** and **** those **** who **** do **** not **


 * former **** president **** bill **** clinton **** sought **** to **** address **** the **** digital **** future **** during **** his **** time **** in **** office **** with **** an **** initiative **** to **** make **** every **** public **** school **** classroom **** internet **** ready **** by **** the **** year **** number **** the **** concern **** was **** that **** minority **** youth **** who **** were **** not **** online **** would **** be **** unable **** to **** compete **** for **** jobs **** in **** the **** new **** millennium **


 * today **** black **** and **** latino **** youth **** use **** media **** more **** than **** ever **** outpacing **** white **** and **** asian **** youth **** according **** to **** a **** recent **** study **** by **** north-western **** university **** but **** there **** a **** big **** difference **** in **** how **** they **** use **** media **** and **** that **** has **** created **** new **** challenges **** for **** bridging **** a **** divide **** that **** still **** exists **


 * craig **** watkins **** is **** a **** professor **** at **** the **** university **** of **** texas **** who **** is **** with **** us **** now **** to **** explain **** his **** research **** on **** minority **** youth **** and **** what **** fuels **** this **** gap **** he **** joins **** us **** from **** austin **** texas **** welcome **** craig **


 * craig **** watkins **** hi **** tony **** how **** are **** you **


 * cox **** i **** am **** fine **** thank **** you **** let **** begin **** with **** this **** let **** define **** terms **** when **** we **** say **** digital **** divide **** what **** exactly **** do **** we **** mean **** and **** who **** are **** we **** talking **** about **


 * watkins **** that **** is **** a **** great **** question **** you **** know **** i **** think **** about **** number **** years **** ago **** when **** we **** used **** the **** term **** digital **** divide **** we **** were **** talking **** largely **** about **** the **** question **** or **** the **** concern **** around **** access **** to **** technology **** fast **** forward **** about **** number **** or **** number **** years **** later **** to **** number **** and **** now **** when **** we **** talk **** about **** it **** i **** think **** it **** is **** less **** about **** access **** to **** technology **** and **** more **** about **** participation **** that **** is **** the **** quality **** of **** engagement **** what **** people **** are **** now **** doing **** with **** the **** technology **** that **** they **** have **** access **** to **


 * cox **** you **** have **** commented **** before **** on **** reports **** about **** media **** use **** among **** minority **** youth **** reports **** that **** say **** they **** use **** media **** for **** example **** on **** average **** number **** hours **** a **** day **** thirteen **** first **** of **** all **** that **** is **** a **** startling **** amount **** of **** time **** does **** that **** capture **** all **** media **** being **** online **** being **** on **** cell **** phones **** or **** what **


 * watkins **** you **** know **** i **** think **** the **** study **** that **** you **** are **** alluding **** to **** which **** was **** published **** i **** think **** about **** a **** year **** or **** so **** ago **** but **** it **** deals **** primarily **** with **** just **** a **** combination **** of **** different **** types **** of **** media **** platforms **** tv **** music **** media **** print **** video **** games **** online **** media **** and **** increasingly **** you **** know **** we **** know **** that **** mobile **** is **** becoming **** more **** and **** more **** part **** of **** young **** people **** media **** time **** as **** well **


 * although **** i **** am **** not **** sure **** if **** the **** number **** hours **** that **** are **** quoted **** in **** this **** study **** actually **** account **** for **** the **** amount **** of **** time **** that **** young **** people **** are **** spending **** watching **** video **** and **** listening **** to **** music **** on **** their **** mobile **** phones **


 * cox **** for **** example **** blacks **** on **** twitter **** it **** said **** in **** some **** of **** these **** reports **** that **** they **** are **** the **** biggest **** users **** by **** far **** disproportionately **** to **** their **** numbers **** in **** the **** population **** how **** do **** you **** explain **** that **


 * watkins **** yeah **** and **** that **** is **** what **** i **** mean **** by **** sort **** of **** a **** shift **** i **** mean **** number **** years **** ago **** i **** mean **** this **** the **** idea **** right **** that **** african **** americans **** would **** be **** kind **** of **** on **** the **** front **** on **** the **** cutting **** edge **** a **** platform **** or **** a **** technology **** like **** twitter **** would **** have **** been **** inconceivable **** right **


 * we **** would **** be **** having **** a **** very **** different **** conversation **** number **** years **** ago **** and **** now **** when **** we **** look **** at **** the **** landscape **** right **** latinos **** and **** african **** americans **** are **** just **** as **** likely **** to **** be **** on **** facebook **** just **** as **** likely **** to **** be **** using **** mobile **** devices **** just **** as **** likely **** to **** be **** using **** twitter **** and **** so **** now **** i **** think **** the **** question **** is **** not **** so **** much **** about **** access **** right **** getting **** to **** the **** technology **** but **** now **** about **** participation **


 * cox **** if **** you **** are **** just **** joining **** us **** i **** am **** tony **** cox **** and **** you **** are **** listening **** to **** tell **** me **** more **** from **** npr **** news **** we **** are **** talking **** about **** the **** digital **** divide **** among **** young **** people **** the **** gap **** between **** whites **** and **** people **** of **** color **** and **** access **** to **** the **** internet **** we **** are **** joined **** today **** by **** craig **** watkins **** a **** sociology **** professor **** who **** specializes **** in **** digital **** youth **** culture **


 * craig **** i **** want **** to **** go **** back **** to **** a **** point **** that **** you **** just **** made **** and **** talking **** about **** it **** is **** not **** so **** much **** a **** matter **** of **** access **** perhaps **** but **** a **** matter **** of **** participation **** are **** minority **** youth **** and **** i **** do **** not **** even **** know **** if **** this **** is **** a **** fair **** way **** to **** say **** it **** are **** they **** ahead **** or **** behind **** in **** terms **** of **** their **** participation **


 * watkins **** yeah **** it **** is **** a **** fascinating **** question **** because **** if **** you **** define **** progress **** largely **** as **** using **** technology **** increasingly **** black **** and **** latino **** youth **** have **** caught **** up **** and **** in **** some **** situations **** even **** surpassed **** their **** white **** and **** more **** affluent **** counterparts **** we **** know **** for **** example **** that **** they **** are **** spending **** more **** time **** online **** or **** as **** much **** time **** online **


 * again **** we **** know **** that **** they **** are **** using **** their **** mobile **** devices **** for **** example **** for **** a **** wider **** range **** of **** things **** so **** a **** much **** more **** robust **** activity **** around **** mobile **** devices **** listening **** to **** music **** playing **** games **** social **** networking **** those **** types **** of **** things **** but **** you **** know **** there **** a **** whole **** other **** sphere **** of **** technology **** behavior **** and **** technology **** used **** particularly **** in **** relation **** to **** young **** people **


 * there **** is **** a **** community **** of **** young **** people **** who **** use **** technology **** not **** only **** right **** to **** sort **** of **** consume **** content **** but **** also **** to **** create **** content **** to **** produce **** content **** to **** become **** kind **** of **** manufacturers **** and **** producers **** of **** their **** own **** kind **** of **** information **** landscape **


 * and **** those **** require **** very **** different **** kinds **** of **** skills **** what **** we **** call **** very **** different **** kinds **** of **** new **** media **** literacies **** and **** what **** we **** do **** not **** quite **** know **** is **** to **** what **** degree **** are **** those **** literacies **** distributed **** evenly **** across **** race **** and **** ethnicity **** and **** across **** class **


 * cox **** give **** me **** an **** example **** of **** what **** you **** are **** talking **** about **** the **** kinds **** of **** creations **** that **** you **** are **** referring **** to **


 * watkins **** we **** are **** working **** with **** a **** group **** of **** students **** this **** summer **** for **** example **** it **** is **** a **** four **** week **** program **** and **** they **** are **** essentially **** designing **** video **** games **** and **** the **** video **** game **** is **** for **** a **** client **** it **** is **** kind **** of **** getting **** the **** students **** you **** know **** thinking **** about **** and **** learning **** not **** only **** about **** game **** design **** technology **** but **** also **** about **** you **** know **** the **** environment **** and **** green **** technology **** and **** building **** sort **** of **** you **** know **** green **** based **** architecture **


 * and **** this **** is **** a **** group **** of **** students **** who **** traditionally **** you **** know **** are **** not **** necessarily **** exposed **** to **** these **** kinds **** of **** opportunities **** exposed **** to **** these **** types **** of **** assignments **** the **** kids **** who **** are **** really **** on **** the **** cutting **** edge **** of **** technology **** again **** are **** using **** technology **** to **** create **** and **** design **** you **** know **** content **


 * cox **** who **** are **** we **** talking **** about **** which **** kids **** are **** doing **** that **


 * watkins **** that **** tends **** to **** track **** primarily **** along **** the **** lines **** of **** class **** and **** which **** in **** this **** country **** in **** some **** ways **** begins **** to **** intersect **** with **** race **** so **** let **** me **** just **** give **** you **** an **** example **** of **** a **** study **** that **** my **** colleague **** mimi **** ito **** and **** some **** of **** her **** colleagues **** produced **** about **** three **** or **** four **** years **** ago **** in **** a **** book **** called **** hanging **** out **** messing **** around **** and **** geeking **** out **


 * and **** they **** discovered **** sort **** of **** two **** types **** of **** technology **** users **** young **** technology **** users **** there **** was **** the **** one **** group **** that **** they **** characterize **** as **** primarily **** using **** media **** to **** interact **** with **** their **** friends **** but **** then **** there **** was **** a **** whole **** different **** sort **** of **** community **** of **** kids **** who **** were **** primarily **** drawn **** to **** the **** internet **** for **** what **** they **** called **** interest **** based **** reasons **


 * like **** they **** had **** a **** passionate **** hobby **** maybe **** it **** was **** a **** game **** maybe **** it **** was **** fan **** fiction **** maybe **** it **** was **** fashion **** and **** they **** were **** seeking **** out **** other **** people **** who **** had **** those **** kinds **** of **** interests **** and **** developing **** a **** kind **** of **** depth **** expertise **** and **** a **** kind **** of **** learning **** community **** a **** kind **** of **** learning **** ecology **** those **** kids **** tended **** to **** be **** kids **** who **** came **** from **** affluent **** communities **** you **** know **** rich **** social **** networks **** from **** you **** know **** very **** affluent **** school **** districts **** which **** tends **** to **** be **** white **** and **** asian **


 * and **** the **** question **** that **** we **** now **** want **** to **** pursue **** and **** some **** follow **** up **** work **** that **** we **** are **** doing **** is **** are **** all **** kids **** accessing **** those **** kinds **** of **** opportunities **** are **** all **** kids **** accessing **** those **** kinds **** of **** online **** communities **** online **** spaces **** that **** really **** enrich **** and **** empower **** their **** participation **** in **** the **** digital **** world **


 * cox **** what **** can **** be **** done **** to **** get **** more **** people **** involved **** in **** myriad **** ways **** of **** using **** the **** internet **** and **** digital **** media **


 * watkins **** it **** seems **** to **** me **** that **** the **** richest **** and **** most **** promising **** attempts **** to **** do **** this **** are **** really **** kind **** of **** happening **** in **** the **** informal **** learning **** spaces **** so **** they **** are **** happening **** in **** after **** school **** programs **** they **** are **** happening **** in **** the **** summer **** camps **** summer **** workshops **** which **** is **** interesting **** and **** raises **** a **** whole **** other **** set **** of **** questions **** about **** why **** schools **** are **** not **** able **** to **** provide **** these **** kinds **** of **** opportunities **


 * but **** i **** think **** it **** is **** happening **** right **** through **** community **** technology **** leaders **** i **** think **** it **** is **** happening **** through **** social **** entrepreneurs **** who **** have **** decided **** right **** that **** these **** issues **** are **** so **** important **** that **** the **** digital **** divide **** today **** is **** really **** about **** digital **** literacy **** right **** and **** how **** do **** we **** begin **** to **** create **** environments **** create **** spaces **** that **** encourage **** and **** support **** kids **** ability **** to **** develop **** the **** kinds **** of **** digital **** media **** skills **** that **** they **** will **** need **** in **** the **** number **** century **** in **** what **** i **** call **** kind **** of **** islands **** of **** kind **** of **** innovation **** right **


 * it **** is **** happening **** you **** know **** maybe **** in **** a **** couple **** places **** you **** know **** here **** or **** there **** i **** am **** seeing **** it **** in **** washington **** i **** am **** seeing **** it **** in **** oakland **** here **** in **** austin **** in **** chicago **** i **** mean **** it **** is **** happening **** in **** a **** variety **** of **** places **** but **** it **** does **** not **** seem **** to **** be **** right **** a **** kind **** of **** cohesive **** or **** kind **** of **** coherent **** effort **** but **** one **** that **** is **** kind **** of **** scattered **** across **** different **** communities **** driven **** primarily **** by **** visionaries **** driven **** primarily **** by **** social **** entrepreneurs **** who **** have **** decided **** that **** it **** is **** a **** space **** that **** they **** want **** to **** step **** into **** a **** space **** that **** again **** schools **** have **** been **** inadequate **** in **** servicing **


 * cox **** craig **** watkins **** is **** a **** professor **** at **** the **** university **** of **** texas **** who **** studies **** the **** social **** and **** digital **** media **** behavior **** of **** young **** people **** he **** joined **** us **** from **** austin **** texas **** craig **** thank **** you **


 * watkins **** sure **** thank **** you **


 * copyright **** number **** national **** public **** radio **** all **** rights **** reserved **** no **** quotes **** from **** the **** materials **** contained **** herein **** may **** be **** used **** in **** any **** media **** without **** attribution **** to **** national **** public **** radio **** this **** transcript **** is **** provided **** for **** personal **** noncommercial **** use **** only **** pursuant **** to **** our **** terms **** of **** use **** any **** other **** use **** requires **** npr **** prior **** permission **** visit **** our **** permissions **** page **** for **** further **** information **


 * npr **** transcripts **** are **** created **** on **** a **** rush **** deadline **** by **** a **** contractor **** for **** npr **** and **** accuracy **** and **** availability **** may **** vary **** this **** text **** may **** not **** be **** in **** its **** final **** form **** and **** may **** be **** updated **** or **** revised **** in **** the **** future **** please **** be **** aware **** that **** the **** authoritative **** record **** of **** npr **** programming **** is **** the **** audio **


 * ethical **** issues **


 * ethical **** issues **** often **** relate **** to **** whether **** schools **** are **** providing **** students **** with **** equal **** access **** to **** technology **** gender **** equity **** issues **** arise **** when **** girls **** are **** treated **** differently **** than **** boys **** in **** terms **** of **** the **** use **** of **** and **** encouragement **** to **** use **** technology **** girls **** tend **** to **** enroll **** in **** fewer **** computer **** classes **** spend **** fewer **** hours **** on **** the **** computer **** either **** at **** home **** or **** at **** school **** and **** are **** less **** likely **** to **** choose **** majors **** in **** computer **** related **** fields **** than **** do **** boys **** for **** example **** in **** number **** only **** number **** percent **** of **** the **** students **** who **** took **** the **** advanced **** placement **** computer **** science **** exam **** were **** girls **** there **** are **** a **** number **** of **** factors **** that **** contribute **** to **** this **** gender **** difference **** including **** the **** limited **** number **** of **** female **** role **** models **** in **** computer **** related **** fields **** adults **** who **** especially **** encourage **** boys **** to **** use **** the **** computer **** and **** computer **** games **** and **** software **** that **** tends **** to **** targets **** boys **** interests **** more **** than **** that **** of **** girls **


 * the **** digital **** divide **** is **** the **** division **** that **** exists **** between **** the **** information **** rich **** and **** the **** information **** poor **** advanced **** technologies **** and **** the **** internet **** in **** particular **** provide **** easy **** access **** to **** vast **** amounts **** of **** information **** digital **** inequities **** can **** exist **** along **** racial **** economic **** academic **** achievement **** low **** achieving **** versus **** high **** achieving **** classes **** and **** geographic **** rural **** urban **** and **** suburban **** lines **** a **** student **** in **** a **** rural **** school **** that **** lacks **** fast **** internet **** connections **** does **** not **** have **** the **** same **** access **** to **** information **** as **** a **** student **** near **** a **** major **** city **


 * the **** digital **** divide **** also **** extends **** beyond **** the **** school **** more **** economically **** advantaged **** children **** usually **** have **** access **** to **** information **** sources **** through **** internet **** connections **** and **** microcomputers **** at **** home **** those **** who **** are **** more **** disadvantaged **** must **** rely **** upon **** limited **** school **** and **** public **** library **** resources **** minority **** students **** may **** be **** discouraged **** from **** accessing **** online **** content **** because **** of **** an **** absence **** of **** exposure **** to **** computers **** in **** general **** or **** because **** of **** a **** lack **** of **** racially **** and **** ethnically **** diverse **** information **** on **** the **** internet **** finally **** computers **** are **** often **** used **** as **** a **** reward **** for **** high **** achieving **** students **** leaving **** out **** those **** students **** with **** poorer **** academic **** records **** while **** some **** students **** are **** simply **** not **** encouraged **** to **** use **** technology **** to **** fuel **** their **** interest **** in **** academics **


 * seconds **** out **** round **** two **


 * the **** explosion **** of **** new **** web **** services **** such **** as **** blogs **** and **** wikis **** has **** led **** many **** to **** believe **** that **** the **** internet **** is **** now **** entering **** a **** second **** phase **** it **** is **** finally **** beginning **** to **** resemble **** a **** truly **** interactive **** learning **** tool **** says **** stephen **** hear **


 * events **** in **** silicon **** valley **** have **** traditionally **** had **** a **** trickle **** down **** effect **** on **** teaching **** and **** learning **** but **** with **** the **** arrival **** of **** the **** internet **** and **** teachers **** who **** write **** blogs **** regularly **** this **** is **** changing **** one **** idea **** being **** put **** forward **** in **** the **** blogosphere **** is **** that **** we **** are **** experiencing **** the **** second **** phase **** of **** the **** development **** of **** the **** web **** or **** web **** number **** number **** with **** the **** explosion **** of **** new **** web **** services **** applications **** and **** business **** models **** that **** are **** helping **** to **** reshape **** the **** net **


 * if **** the **** early **** version **** of **** the **** web **** took **** a **** top **** down **** approach **** to **** content **** which **** consisted **** mainly **** of **** standalone **** and **** static **** web **** pages **** that **** were **** hard **** to **** update **** web **** number **** number **** takes **** a **** more **** bottom **** up **** approach **** where **** web **** services **** and **** applications **** allow **** users **** to **** publish **** content **** without **** the **** need **** to **** write **** code **** and **** exploit **** the **** network **** potential **** to **** support **** greater **** social **** interaction **** and **** collaboration **** as **** a **** result **** we **** are **** seeing **** a **** renaissance **** of **** tim **** berners **** lee **** original **** vision **** of **** a **** read **** write **** web **** through **** the **** creation **** of **** what **** tim **** areilly **** a **** us **** internet **** pioneer **** who **** was **** among **** the **** first **** to **** popularise **** the **** web **** number **** number **** idea **** calls **** an **** architecture **** of **** participation **


 * like **** the **** web **** itself **** the **** early **** promise **** of **** learning **** that **** of **** empowerment **** has **** not **** been **** fully **** realised **** the **** experience **** of **** learning **** for **** many **** has **** been **** no **** more **** than **** a **** hand **** out **** published **** online **** together **** with **** a **** simple **** multiple **** choice **** quiz **** hardly **** inspiring **** let **** alone **** empowering **** but **** by **** using **** these **** new **** web **** services **** learning **** has **** the **** potential **** to **** become **** far **** more **** personal **** social **** and **** flexible **


 * rather **** than **** being **** based **** on **** cumbersome **** and **** often **** expensive **** virtual **** learning **** environments **** learning **** number **** number **** should **** adopt **** what **** david **** weinberger **** author **** and **** fellow **** at **** harvard **** berkman **** institute **** for **** internet **** and **** society **** calls **** a **** small **** pieces **** loosely **** joined **** approach **** combining **** the **** use **** of **** discrete **** but **** complimentary **** tools **** and **** web **** services **** based **** on **** open **** standards **** which **** can **** be **** made **** to **** work **** together **** many **** teachers **** are **** doing **** this **** through **** use **** of **** web **** logs **** or **** blogs **** a **** form **** of **** online **** micropublishing **** typically **** of **** personal **** thoughts **** and **** weblinks **** wikis **** web **** publishing **** software **** that **** lets **** users **** create **** and **** edit **** web **** pages **** using **** a **** standard **** web **** browser **** and **** other **** forms **** of **** social **** software **** as **** well **** as **** various **** digital **** media **** and **** devices **** like **** podcasting **


 * personal **** publishing **


 * blogs **** remove **** the **** technical **** barriers **** to **** writing **** and **** publishing **** online **** and **** the **** journal **** format **** encourages **** bloggers **** to **** keep **** a **** record **** of **** their **** own **** thinking **** over **** time **** blogs **** also **** facilitate **** critical **** feedback **** by **** letting **** readers **** add **** comments **** these **** could **** be **** from **** teachers **** students **** or **** the **** wider **** community **


 * for **** students **** a **** blog **** can **** be **** used **** as **** a **** living **** record **** of **** their **** learning **** a **** place **** to **** pose **** questions **** publish **** work **** in **** progress **** or **** provide **** links **** to **** and **** comments **** on **** relevant **** web **** resources **


 * teachers **** who **** are **** subject **** specialists **** may **** want **** to **** start **** their **** own **** subject **** based **** blog **** where **** they **** can **** provide **** up **** to **** date **** information **** and **** commentary **** on **** their **** subject **** area **** as **** well **** as **** posting **** questions **** and **** assignments **** and **** linking **** to **** relevant **** news **** stories **** and **** websites **** media **** studies **** teacher **** pete **** fraser **** runs **** one **** such **** blog **** using **** google **** free **** blogging **** service **** blogger **** com **** for **** his **** students **** at **** long **** road **** sixth **** form **** college **** in **** cambridge **** visit **** http **** longroadmedia **** blogspot **** com **


 * collaborative **** publishing **


 * a **** key **** theme **** of **** many **** web **** number **** number **** applications **** is **** that **** they **** harness **** the **** collective **** intelligence **** of **** users **** and **** this **** is **** particularly **** true **** of **** wikis **** as **** with **** blogs **** wiki **** software **** makes **** it **** possible **** to **** publish **** a **** website **** with **** very **** little **** technical **** knowledge **** but **** puts **** a **** greater **** emphasis **** on **** collaborative **** rather **** than **** personal **** publishing **** every **** wiki **** entry **** has **** an **** edit **** this **** page **** button **** so **** that **** users **** can **** not **** only **** add **** new **** content **** but **** make **** changes **** to **** existing **** pages **


 * perhaps **** the **** best **** known **** use **** of **** a **** wiki **** is **** the **** web **** based **** encyclopedia **** wikipedia **** www **** wikipedia **** org **** which **** is **** authored **** and **** maintained **** by **** a **** thriving **** online **** community **** critics **** argue **** that **** because **** there **** is **** no **** central **** editor **** the **** validity **** and **** accuracy **** of **** its **** entries **** varies **** greatly **** in **** its **** defence **** the **** wiki **** community **** points **** out **** that **** if **** a **** user **** spots **** a **** mistake **** they **** are **** free **** to **** correct **** it **** for **** themselves **** and **** that **** any **** vandalism **** is **** usually **** eradicated **** within **** five **** minutes **** as **** an **** introduction **** to **** wikis **** why **** not **** have **** students **** perhaps **** as **** part **** of **** a **** history **** lesson **** research **** and **** write **** a **** missing **** entry **** then **** see **** how **** the **** wikipedia **** community **** evaluates **** that **** entry **** and **** what **** changes **** they **** make **


 * folksonomy **


 * folksonomy **** is **** another **** example **** of **** the **** way **** in **** which **** the **** web **** number **** number **** attempts **** to **** harness **** the **** collective **** intelligence **** of **** its **** users **** the **** word **** folksonomy **** refers **** to **** the **** collaborative **** way **** in **** which **** information **** is **** being **** categorised **** on **** the **** web **** instead **** of **** using **** a **** centralised **** form **** of **** classification **** users **** are **** encouraged **** to **** assign **** freely **** chosen **** keywords **** to **** pieces **** of **** information **** or **** data **** a **** process **** known **** as **** tagging **** web **** number **** number **** services **** that **** use **** tagging **** include **** those **** designed **** to **** allow **** users **** to **** publish **** and **** share **** various **** media **** such **** as **** photos **** www **** flickr **** com **** or **** videos **** www **** youtube **** com **** as **** well **** as **** most **** blog **** software **** where **** each **** entry **** can **** be **** assigned **** keywords **


 * delicious **** http **** del **** icio **** us **** is **** a **** social **** bookmarks **** manager **** that **** allows **** users **** to **** create **** their **** own **** personal **** collection **** of **** weblinks **** and **** which **** because **** they **** are **** stored **** online **** can **** be **** accessed **** from **** any **** computer **** connected **** to **** the **** net **** each **** bookmark **** is **** given **** a **** short **** description **** and **** tagged **** with **** keywords **** and **** collections **** can **** be **** shared **** all **** teachers **** and **** students **** would **** benefit **** from **** using **** a **** social **** bookmarking **** service **


 * media **** and **** devices **


 * the **** use **** of **** digital **** media **** in **** schools **** has **** been **** around **** for **** years **** but **** the **** sharing **** of **** finished **** work **** has **** tended **** to **** be **** isolated **** within **** the **** school **** a **** central **** theme **** of **** web **** number **** number **** is **** to **** make **** publishing **** and **** sharing **** content **** as **** simple **** as **** possible **** together **** with **** the **** recent **** explosion **** of **** mobile **** media **** devices **** such **** as **** video **** capable **** mobile **** phones **** and **** mpnumber **** players **** see **** www **** ipodined **** org **** this **** means **** that **** teachers **** and **** students **** now **** have **** many **** more **** opportunities **** to **** publish **** and **** share **** digital **** media **


 * content **** aggregation **


 * perhaps **** the **** most **** important **** element **** of **** web **** number **** number **** is **** that **** it **** offers **** the **** kind **** of **** connectivity **** to **** bring **** all **** these **** disparate **** elements **** together **** for **** example **** using **** an **** online **** rss **** reader **** such **** as **** bloglines **** com **** it **** is **** possible **** to **** track **** and **** be **** alerted **** to **** new **** and **** relevant **** content **** across **** a **** range **** of **** web **** services **** and **** applications **** updated **** content **** could **** include **** a **** student **** new **** blog **** entry **** or **** comment **** changes **** to **** a **** project **** wiki **** newly **** published **** media **** or **** useful **** weblinks **** recently **** discovered **** by **** a **** teacher **


 * it **** is **** this **** level **** of **** integration **** and **** participation **** that **** is **** driving **** the **** web **** number **** number **** revolution **** a **** phenomenon **** offering **** a **** very **** different **** approach **** to **** learning **


 * stephen **** hear **** is **** a **** fellow **** for **** the **** national **** endowment **** for **** science **** technology **** and **** the **** arts **** www **** ohear **** net **


 * why **** you **** need **** to **** use **** storytelling **** for **** learning **
 * i **** am **** sure **** you **** have **** heard **** by **** now **** that **** storytelling **** can **** make **** learning **** more **** effective **** stories **** help **** us **** process **** and **** remember **** information **** perhaps **** they **** even **** touch **** a **** part **** of **** our **** consciousness **** associated **** with **** the **** magic **** and **** creativity **** of **** childhood **
 * in **** my **** desire **** to **** become **** a **** better **** storyteller **** i **** attended **** a **** session **** on **** the **** subject **** while **** at **** the **** presentation **** summit **** a **** conference **** where **** the **** topics **** overlap **** surprisingly **** well **** with **** the **** interests **** of **** training **** professionals **** and **** learning **** specialists **
 * here **** are **** the **** key **** points **** i **** gathered **** from **** a **** session **** titled **** the **** art **** of **** storytelling **** presented **** by **** jon **** thomas **** i **** modified **** them **** for **** learning **** experience **** designers **** as **** needed **
 * number **** stories **** are **** the **** emotional **** glue **** that **** connects **** the **** audience **** to **** the **** message **
 * much **** of **** what **** people **** remember **** from **** a **** learning **** experience **** are **** the **** feelings **** of **** the **** underlying **** message **** rather **** than **** a **** multitude **** of **** small **** facts **** which **** are **** better **** reserved **** for **** job **** aids **** stories **** are **** an **** important **** way **** to **** tap **** into **** the **** heart **** of **** the **** audience **** providing **** a **** channel **** for **** conveying **** a **** deeper **** message **** based **** on **** emotion **
 * number **** information **** presentation **** should **** be **** constructed **** around **** a **** story **
 * any **** kind **** of **** presentation **** whether **** it **** be **** online **** training **** or **** a **** live **** presentation **** will **** benefit **** from **** a **** story **** construction **** organizing **** information **** into **** a **** format **** with **** a **** beginning **** setting **** the **** stage **** middle **** the **** challenge **** and **** ending **** new **** reality **** can **** work **** for **** many **** topics **
 * number **** people **** want **** to **** know **** about **** origins **
 * when **** we **** watch **** or **** read **** about **** a **** superhero **** we **** always **** remember **** the **** person **** origins **** we **** know **** where **** they **** came **** from **** and **** the **** circumstances **** that **** created **** their **** super **** powers **** people **** are **** defined **** by **** their **** origins **** and **** people **** are **** curious **** about **** where **** people **** or **** fictional **** characters **** come **** from **** how **** they **** change **** and **** how **** they **** evolve **** include **** this **** type **** of **** information **** in **** your **** next **** story **
 * number **** stories **** reshape **** knowledge **** into **** something **** meaningful **
 * for **** centuries **** people **** have **** used **** stories **** to **** pass **** on **** knowledge **** when **** information **** is **** embedded **** in **** the **** context **** of **** a **** story **** it **** is **** transferred **** to **** a **** listener **** or **** reader **** in **** a **** unique **** way **** according **** to **** the **** presenter **** of **** this **** session **** new **** research **** shows **** that **** number **** of **** what **** we **** learn **** is **** consumed **** through **** storytelling **
 * number **** stories **** make **** people **** care **
 * when **** you **** know **** your **** audience **** their **** pains **** frustrations **** and **** joys **** your **** stories **** can **** reflect **** their **** emotions **** and **** experiences **** as **** learners **** begin **** to **** see **** themselves **** in **** the **** story **** and **** begin **** to **** identify **** with **** it **** they **** start **** to **** care **** nancy **** duarte **** author **** of **** resonate **** states **** that **** a **** story **** serves **** as **** a **** moment **** of **** emotional **** appeal **
 * number **** stories **** transcend **** one **** current **** environment **
 * good **** storytelling **** can **** transport **** learners **** out **** of **** their **** stuffy **** meeting **** rooms **** and **** offices **** into **** an **** adventurous **** world **** away **** from **** the **** workplace **** in **** this **** altered **** reality **** the **** mind **** becomes **** more **** open **** to **** perceiving **** and **** thinking **** in **** new **** ways **** this **** is **** an **** ideal **** position **** from **** which **** to **** learn **
 * number **** stories **** are **** motivating **
 * stories **** can **** motivate **** an **** audience **** toward **** a **** learning **** goal **** they **** are **** ideal **** for **** attitudinal **** training **** because **** when **** an **** audience **** is **** motivated **** they **** no **** longer **** need **** to **** be **** persuaded **** an **** encouraging **** story **** will **** inspire **** someone **** to **** take **** action **
 * number **** people **** take **** time **** for **** stories **
 * have **** you **** ever **** noticed **** that **** even **** the **** busiest **** of **** people **** will **** stop **** to **** listen **** to **** someone **** story **** or **** to **** tell **** one **** of **** their **** own **** stories **** are **** why **** people **** are **** drawn **** to **** novels **** and **** movies **** and **** gossip **** magazines **** if **** you **** want **** to **** maintain **** an **** audience **** attention **** you **** are **** more **** likely **** to **** do **** it **** through **** storytelling **
 * number **** stories **** are **** more **** likely **** to **** be **** shared **
 * because **** we **** are **** so **** attuned **** to **** stories **** people **** love **** to **** share **** them **** they **** are **** like **** hooks **** that **** draw **** people **** in **** as **** they **** are **** passed **** from **** one **** person **** to **** the **** next **** if **** you **** have **** any **** doubts **** check **** out **** the **** thousands **** of **** facebook **** stories **** this **** is **** where **** people **** share **** how **** they **** use **** facebook **** and **** the **** meaning **** it **** has **** in **** their **** life **** do **** you **** need **** to **** spread **** the **** word **** about **** something **** put **** it **** in **** a **** story **** and **** see **** if **** it **** gets **** shared **
 * number **** stories **** give **** meaning **** to **** data **
 * many **** people **** perceive **** data **** as **** meaningless **** numbers **** this **** happens **** when **** the **** data **** is **** disconnected **** to **** anything **** important **** in **** their **** experience **** but **** when **** the **** data **** is **** placed **** in **** the **** context **** of **** a **** story **** it **** comes **** alive **** one **** of **** the **** most **** well **** known **** examples **** of **** this **** is **** hans **** roling **** presentation **** below **** if **** you **** have **** not **** seen **** it **** yet **** take **** the **** four **** minutes **** to **** watch **


 * number **** ways **** to **** learn **** in **** number **
 * there **** are **** so **** many **** cool **** ways **** to **** learn **** online **** now **** the **** whole **** world **** is **** a **** school **** this **** list **** is **** meant **** for **** continuous **** learners **** and **** for **** procrastinators **** looking **** for **** distractions **** in **** the **** coming **** year **
 * number **** learn **** through **** visual **** search **** engines **
 * how **** would **** you **** like **** your **** search **** engine **** to **** show **** results **** in **** a **** collage **** spezify **** does **** just **** that **** it **** is **** a **** visual **** search **** engine **** that **** draws **** content **** from **** all **** over **** the **** web **** particularly **** social **** media **** sites **** your **** collage **** might **** show **** a **** book **** from **** amazon **** a **** youtube **** video **** and **** a **** page **** from **** a **** blog **** or **** web **** site **** you **** drag **** the **** results **** to **** navigate **** the **** page **** and **** then **** click **** the **** graphic **** to **** view **** the **** media **** although **** the **** results **** might **** not **** be **** as **** robust **** as **** with **** conventional **** search **** engines **** it **** is **** a **** lot **** more **** fun **** other **** visual **** search **** tools **** include **** viewzi **** kartnumber **** and **** search **** cube **
 * number **** learn **** from **** word **** clouds **
 * how **** can **** you **** search **** for **** something **** on **** a **** site **** when **** you **** are **** not **** sure **** what **** is **** there **** though **** word **** clouds **** are **** not **** new **** have **** you **** used **** them **** as **** a **** learning **** tool **** if **** you **** go **** to **** wordle **** and **** enter **** a **** site **** url **** or **** feed **** url **** you **** can **** use **** the **** word **** cloud **** as **** an **** index **** to **** the **** site **** look **** for **** words **** of **** interest **** and **** then **** search **** for **** those **** articles **** or **** pages **
 * you **** can **** also **** use **** word **** clouds **** as **** the **** basis **** for **** writing **** a **** poem **** for **** studying **** another **** language **** and **** for **** comparing **** two **** pages **** of **** information **** janet **** clarey **** compared **** two **** articles **** from **** this **** site **** using **** word **** clouds **** you **** can **** also **** create **** tag **** clouds **** with **** tagcrowd **** and **** you **** probably **** figured **** there **** had **** to **** be **** a **** tweetcloud **
 * number **** ask **** a **** question **
 * although **** question **** and **** answer **** sites **** are **** not **** new **** on **** the **** web **** we **** are **** now **** at **** a **** point **** where **** there **** are **** enough **** experts **** online **** and **** enough **** a **** sites **** to **** make **** finding **** an **** answer **** more **** feasible **** some **** sites **** crowd **** source **** the **** answers **** while **** others **** use **** mentors **** to **** answer **** questions **** in **** their **** area **** of **** expertise **** these **** sites **** are **** also **** great **** for **** browsing **** through **** when **** you **** are **** in **** procrastination **** mode **
 * here **** are **** a **** few **** amazon **** askville **** yahoo **** answers **** answerbag **** gotta **** mentor **** blurtit **** and **** wikianswers **** for **** answers **** to **** elearning **** related **** questions **** try **** one **** of **** the **** linkedin **** elearning **** groups **** with **** a **** high **** membership **** like **** the **** elearning **** guild **** or **** instructional **** design **** learning **** professionals **** group **** fyi **** you **** can **** always **** shoot **** me **** a **** question **** through **** the **** contact **** page **** and **** i **** will **** answer **** or **** crowd **** source **** it **
 * number **** think **** visually **
 * one **** of **** the **** best **** ways **** to **** learn **** is **** to **** look **** at **** things **** from **** a **** new **** perspective **** prezi **** can **** help **** you **** do **** this **** it **** is **** one **** of **** the **** most **** innovative **** tools **** for **** creating **** nonlinear **** presentations **** check **** out **** their **** showcase **
 * expressing **** and **** organizing **** your **** ideas **** in **** mind **** maps **** is **** another **** approach **** to **** expanding **** or **** changing **** your **** perspective **** try **** these **** free **** online **** mind **** mapping **** tools **** some **** of **** which **** are **** collaborative **** mindmeister **** check **** out **** their **** public **** mind **** maps **** xmind **** and **** mindomo **
 * number **** hang **** out **** with **** professors **
 * we **** now **** have **** lots **** of **** options **** for **** taking **** free **** online **** college **** courses **** imagine **** a **** great **** lecture **** with **** no **** tests **** papers **** or **** deadlines **** that **** is **** right **** check **** out **** uc **** berkeley **** webcasts **** which **** has **** a **** mix **** of **** video **** and **** audio **** lectures **** and **** mit **** is **** open **** courseware **** which **** consists **** of **** pdf **** lecture **** notes **** and **** some **** multimedia **** presentations **** openlearn **** has **** a **** learning **** space **** with **** lecture **** notes **** and **** discussion **** forums **** you **** can **** also **** reuse **** and **** remix **** their **** content **** to **** create **** your **** own **** courses **** in **** their **** lab **** space **** other **** open **** university **** courses **** are **** at **** carnegie **** mellon **** and **** tufts **** university **** do **** not **** forget **** the **** lectures **** from **** university **** of **** oxford **** and **** stanford **** on **** itunesu **
 * number **** watch **** documentaries **
 * if **** you **** like **** to **** learn **** from **** documentaries **** you **** can **** catch **** some **** free **** ones **** at **** get **** docued **** free **** online **** documentaries **** and **** free **** documentaries **
 * number **** tune **** in **** to **** big **** ideas **
 * discuss **** watch **** and **** get **** inspired **** at **** some **** of **** the **** sites **** that **** promote **** new **** and **** innovative **** ideas **** you **** have **** probably **** seen **** the **** videos **** at **** ted **** but **** what **** about **** big **** think **** fora **** tv **** and **** ideas **** project **
 * number **** learn **** through **** twitter **
 * do **** you **** ever **** search **** through **** tweets **** to **** discover **** the **** latest **** resources **** and **** conversations **** real **** time **** search **** is **** very **** now **** for **** example **** i **** just **** searched **** for **** elearning **** i **** know **** i **** am **** boring **** and **** got **** directed **** to **** a **** great **** discussion **** about **** how **** to **** help **** learners **** get **** the **** most **** from **** elearning **** you **** can **** search **** directly **** on **** twitter **** but **** they **** say **** the **** results **** are **** less **** than **** stellar **** other **** real **** time **** search **** engines **** that **** get **** better **** reviews **** are **** twazzup **** tweetzi **** icerocket **** searches **** other **** social **** media **** too **** and **** tweetscan **
 * number **** hop **** into **** a **** debate **
 * learn **** about **** all **** sides **** of **** an **** issue **** through **** online **** debating **** debategraph **** uses **** a **** visualization **** tool **** to **** show **** the **** complexity **** and **** multiple **** aspects **** of **** world **** issues **** you **** can **** start **** at **** the **** gallery **** to **** pick **** an **** issue **** then **** select **** stream **** view **** the **** small **** print **** below **** to **** see **** the **** visualization **** you **** can **** then **** explore **** the **** issue **** and **** add **** your **** own **** viewpoint **** also **** check **** out **** debate **** org **** where **** you **** read **** the **** debates **** and **** vote **** on **** a **** winner **
 * number **** create **** a **** mashup **
 * mashups **** let **** you **** combine **** and **** remix **** information **** media **** content **** web **** applications **** and **** services **** making **** a **** mashup **** helps **** you **** perceive **** information **** in **** new **** ways **** and **** is **** a **** learning **** experience **** in **** itself **** two **** mashup **** platforms **** are **** pipes **** and **** scrapplet **** pipes **** is **** an **** aggregator **** tool **** for **** manipulating **** and **** remixing **** content **** and **** data **** from **** around **** the **** web **** scrapplet **** uses **** a **** drag **** and **** drop **** approach **** for **** mashing **** up **** content **** particularly **** from **** social **** media **** sites **
 * how **** do **** you **** plan **** to **** learn **** online **** this **** year **


 * technology **** in **** education **** current **** trends **


 * susan **** williams **


 * computers **** and **** internet **** connections **** are **** becoming **** widely **** available **** in **** schools **** and **** classrooms **** in **** number **** number **** percent **** of **** teachers **** in **** the **** united **** states **** had **** access **** to **** a **** computer **** in **** their **** schools **** and **** number **** percent **** had **** one **** or **** more **** computers **** in **** their **** classrooms **** at **** the **** same **** time **** internet **** connections **** were **** also **** widespread **** with **** number **** percent **** of **** schools **** and **** number **** percent **** of **** classrooms **** having **** access **** worldwide **** many **** countries **** are **** making **** the **** creation **** and **** diffusion **** of **** information **** and **** communications **** technology **** ict **** an **** important **** priority **** even **** in **** developing **** countries **** usage **** is **** increasing **** dramatically **** as **** ict **** becomes **** more **** widely **** available **** teachers **** and **** policymakers **** are **** turning **** their **** attention **** to **** the **** difficult **** task **** of **** understanding **** how **** best **** to **** integrate **** this **** technology **** into **** learning **** environments **


 * ict **** can **** be **** used **** in **** many **** different **** ways **** and **** how **** it **** is **** integrated **** into **** educational **** settings **** depends **** largely **** on **** teachers **** instructional **** goals **** and **** strategies **** changes **** in **** the **** goals **** of **** education **** during **** the **** latter **** part **** of **** the **** twentieth **** century **** coupled **** with **** increases **** in **** the **** amount **** and **** type **** of **** available **** technology **** has **** created **** changes **** in **** teachers **** use **** of **** technology **** in **** the **** numbers **** and **** early **** numbers **** the **** primary **** goal **** of **** instruction **** was **** to **** have **** students **** memorize **** important **** information **** and **** procedures **** instruction **** was **** teacher **** led **** and **** dominated **** by **** lectures **** followed **** by **** practice **** using **** worksheets **** and **** short **** answer **** tests **** students **** worked **** alone **** to **** complete **** assignments **** and **** when **** help **** was **** needed **** they **** consulted **** parents **** teachers **** or **** textbooks **** for **** assistance **** if **** computers **** were **** available **** in **** classrooms **** during **** this **** time **** period **** their **** use **** mirrored **** this **** dominant **** mode **** of **** instruction **** that **** is **** they **** were **** primarily **** used **** to **** present **** passages **** of **** text **** and **** test **** students **** comprehension **** and **** memory **** for **** information **** contained **** in **** the **** passages **


 * research **** on **** learning **** has **** demonstrated **** the **** shortcomings **** of **** this **** type **** of **** instruction **** students **** often **** forget **** memorized **** information **** or **** they **** fail **** to **** apply **** it **** in **** situations **** where **** it **** would **** be **** useful **** they **** need **** help **** in **** connecting **** new **** information **** to **** what **** they **** already **** know **** and **** in **** extending **** and **** applying **** their **** knowledge **** to **** new **** problems **** researchers **** in **** the **** early **** twenty **** first **** century **** believe **** that **** students **** learn **** best **** when **** they **** work **** to **** combine **** their **** own **** past **** experience **** with **** new **** information **** in **** order **** to **** solve **** problems **** that **** are **** personally **** meaningful **** to **** them **


 * in **** addition **** to **** changes **** in **** the **** understanding **** of **** how **** students **** learn **** there **** have **** been **** substantial **** changes **** in **** what **** educators **** and **** policymakers **** believe **** students **** should **** know **** how **** to **** do **** the **** exponential **** growth **** in **** information **** since **** number **** has **** shifted **** the **** purpose **** of **** education **** information **** has **** become **** abundant **** and **** easily **** accessible **** rather **** than **** reading **** the **** unified **** perspective **** typically **** presented **** by **** a **** textbook **** students **** have **** access **** to **** many **** different **** points **** of **** view **** instead **** of **** memorizing **** students **** now **** need **** assistance **** in **** learning **** how **** to **** find **** and **** select **** relevant **** information **** for **** problems **** they **** need **** to **** solve **** they **** need **** to **** learn **** how **** to **** collaborate **** with **** others **** as **** they **** solve **** these **** problems **** and **** communicate **** their **** solutions **** to **** their **** teachers **** and **** to **** the **** world **** beyond **** their **** classroom **


 * along **** with **** changes **** in **** what **** students **** should **** know **** and **** an **** increased **** understanding **** of **** how **** they **** learn **** new **** approaches **** to **** instruction **** are **** being **** advocated **** instead **** of **** listening **** to **** lectures **** and **** memorizing **** facts **** and **** procedures **** educational **** reforms **** suggest **** that **** students **** learn **** best **** in **** the **** context **** of **** solving **** complex **** realistic **** problems **** traditional **** computer **** assisted **** instruction **** cai **** and **** many **** integrated **** learning **** systems **** ilss **** deliver **** precisely **** this **** form **** of **** instruction **** in **** a **** range **** of **** subject **** matter **** areas **** typically **** computers **** dedicated **** to **** ilss **** are **** clustered **** in **** computer **** laboratory **** settings **** rather **** than **** being **** located **** in **** individual **** teacher **** classrooms **** students **** who **** acquire **** new **** information **** as **** they **** solve **** problems **** are **** able **** to **** understand **** its **** usefulness **** remember **** it **** and **** use **** it **** to **** solve **** problems **** in **** the **** future **** solving **** interesting **** problems **** is **** more **** likely **** to **** stimulate **** a **** student **** interest **** than **** memorizing **** isolated **** facts **** and **** this **** interest **** has **** been **** shown **** to **** positively **** affect **** learning **** students **** solving **** real **** problems **** view **** their **** efforts **** as **** real **** work **** and **** have **** a **** sense **** of **** purpose **** and **** value **


 * organizing **** instruction **** around **** problem **** solving **** makes **** new **** demands **** on **** teachers **** including **** locating **** meaningful **** problems **** and **** projects **** and **** providing **** students **** with **** the **** resources **** and **** guidance **** for **** solving **** them **** teachers **** are **** finding **** that **** ict **** can **** help **** them **** meet **** these **** demands **** and **** they **** are **** integrating **** it **** into **** their **** instruction **** in **** many **** new **** and **** exciting **** ways **


 * technology **** and **** new **** forms **** of **** instruction **


 * using **** technology **** to **** find **** and **** represent **** educational **** problems **** one **** major **** challenge **** for **** teachers **** interested **** in **** problem **** based **** learning **** is **** locating **** problems **** that **** are **** appropriate **** for **** their **** students **** and **** for **** the **** topics **** that **** they **** need **** to **** learn **** problems **** must **** be **** complex **** enough **** to **** support **** sustained **** exploration **** and **** encourage **** collaboration **** and **** they **** should **** have **** multiple **** interrelated **** parts **** to **** develop **** students **** ability **** to **** break **** problems **** down **** and **** organize **** their **** solutions **** representing **** and **** communicating **** such **** complex **** problem **** situations **** is **** an **** important **** function **** of **** technology **** unlike **** problems **** that **** occur **** in **** the **** real **** world **** technology **** can **** incorporate **** graphics **** video **** animation **** and **** other **** tools **** to **** create **** problems **** that **** can **** be **** explored **** repeatedly **** multimedia **** representations **** are **** easier **** to **** understand **** than **** problems **** presented **** as **** text **** one **** example **** of **** using **** technology **** to **** present **** problems **** is **** the **** mathematical **** problem **** solving **** series **** the **** adventures **** of **** jasper **** woodbury **** each **** problem **** in **** the **** jasper **** series **** is **** presented **** as **** a **** video **** story **** that **** ends **** when **** the **** main **** character **** experiences **** a **** problem **** that **** can **** be **** solved **** using **** math **** using **** technology **** that **** can **** be **** easily **** searched **** and **** paused **** for **** inspection **** students **** search **** the **** video **** looking **** for **** clues **** to **** help **** them **** understand **** and **** solve **** the **** problem **** in **** one **** episode **** students **** explore **** a **** variety **** of **** transportation **** methods **** and **** routes **** to **** rescue **** a **** wounded **** bald **** eagle **** they **** compare **** their **** solution **** plans **** and **** develop **** ways **** to **** determine **** which **** plan **** is **** best **


 * microworlds **** are **** another **** type **** of **** technology **** used **** to **** present **** problems **** one **** example **** is **** thinkertools **** a **** computer **** based **** learning **** environment **** that **** simulates **** aspects **** of **** newtonian **** physics **** using **** the **** thinkertools **** microworld **** students **** can **** manipulate **** various **** aspects **** of **** the **** environment **** observe **** the **** results **** and **** attempt **** to **** discover **** the **** rules **** that **** govern **** this **** simulation **


 * internet **** and **** videoconferencing **** technology **** allow **** students **** to **** participate **** in **** projects **** sponsored **** by **** researchers **** around **** the **** world **** in **** the **** jason **** project **** satellite **** and **** internet **** technology **** bring **** classroom **** students **** into **** direct **** real **** time **** contact **** with **** leading **** scientists **** conducting **** scientific **** research **** expeditions **** around **** the **** globe **** each **** year **** the **** project **** explores **** a **** different **** location **** in **** order **** to **** help **** students **** understand **** the **** earth **** biological **** and **** geological **** development **** some **** of **** the **** past **** expeditions **** have **** studied **** deep **** sea **** archaeology **** compared **** shallow **** and **** deep **** ocean **** habitats **** studied **** plate **** tectonics **** and **** volcanoes **** and **** compared **** conditions **** experienced **** in **** space **** and **** under **** the **** oceans **** in **** addition **** to **** observing **** research **** activities **** students **** are **** able **** to **** ask **** questions **** and **** get **** immediate **** answers **** from **** the **** scientists **


 * whatever **** type **** of **** technology **** is **** used **** an **** important **** goal **** is **** to **** create **** problem **** representations **** that **** are **** interactive **** and **** under **** the **** learner **** control **** the **** student **** creates **** a **** plan **** for **** investigating **** the **** problem **** and **** the **** technology **** creates **** an **** environment **** that **** makes **** flexible **** exploration **** possible **


 * using **** technology **** to **** find **** educational **** resources **** a **** second **** function **** of **** technology **** in **** problem **** based **** learning **** environments **** is **** locating **** information **** needed **** to **** solve **** problems **** or **** do **** other **** kinds **** of **** research **** in **** the **** past **** teachers **** attempting **** a **** problem **** based **** curriculum **** felt **** the **** need **** to **** limit **** problems **** to **** those **** for **** which **** they **** had **** expertise **** or **** the **** local **** library **** had **** resources **** now **** the **** world **** wide **** web **** brings **** a **** seemingly **** endless **** amount **** of **** information **** on **** almost **** any **** subject **** and **** it **** is **** possible **** for **** students **** to **** choose **** topics **** based **** on **** personal **** interest **** rather **** than **** availability **** of **** resources **


 * internet **** research **** projects **** are **** gaining **** rapidly **** in **** popularity **** in **** the **** spring **** of **** number **** number **** percent **** of **** teachers **** surveyed **** and **** number **** of **** those **** with **** high **** speed **** internet **** connections **** reported **** they **** had **** assigned **** internet **** research **** tasks **** for **** their **** students **** during **** the **** school **** year **** use **** of **** the **** internet **** to **** gather **** information **** for **** solving **** problems **** sometimes **** resembles **** a **** modern **** version **** of **** library **** research **** in **** which **** students **** gather **** and **** synthesize **** information **** from **** published **** reports **** despite **** the **** fact **** that **** the **** task **** seems **** traditional **** the **** characteristics **** of **** this **** new **** medium **** require **** special **** skills **** for **** students **** the **** sheer **** volume **** of **** information **** allows **** students **** to **** study **** almost **** any **** topic **** but **** also **** makes **** it **** more **** difficult **** to **** locate **** precisely **** the **** right **** information **** from **** among **** the **** thousands **** or **** even **** millions **** of **** sites **** that **** might **** be **** located **** in **** addition **** the **** ease **** of **** publishing **** and **** accessing **** materials **** on **** the **** internet **** increases **** the **** likelihood **** that **** students **** will **** encounter **** inaccurate **** or **** biased **** information **** as **** a **** result **** students **** must **** learn **** new **** strategies **** for **** conducting **** searches **** and **** evaluating **** the **** information **** that **** they **** retrieve **


 * in **** addition **** to **** its **** function **** as **** a **** source **** of **** information **** the **** internet **** capability **** for **** communication **** and **** interaction **** provides **** many **** innovative **** educational **** opportunities **** many **** times **** students **** are **** unable **** to **** find **** or **** understand **** the **** available **** resources **** in **** such **** cases **** teachers **** are **** also **** turning **** to **** ict **** to **** link **** their **** students **** with **** mentors **** and **** subject **** matter **** experts **** in **** one **** such **** project **** fourth **** and **** fifth **** grade **** students **** in **** mcallen **** texas **** compared **** the **** experiences **** of **** their **** families **** on **** the **** texas **** la **** frontera **** to **** colonial **** life **** in **** the **** original **** thirteen **** colonies **** with **** the **** help **** of **** the **** director **** of **** a **** historic **** preservation **** center **** and **** museum **** in **** fredericksburg **** virginia **


 * students **** carrying **** out **** scientific **** investigations **** can **** use **** the **** internet **** to **** make **** observations **** and **** collect **** data **** for **** example **** fourth **** and **** fifth **** graders **** in **** california **** collected **** insects **** and **** sent **** them **** to **** san **** diego **** state **** university **** using **** two **** way **** audio **** and **** video **** connecting **** the **** school **** and **** the **** university **** scientists **** guided **** the **** students **** in **** using **** an **** electron **** microscope **** to **** examine **** their **** specimens **** technology **** has **** made **** it **** possible **** to **** collect **** data **** from **** places **** students **** could **** never **** visit **** in **** recent **** projects **** high **** school **** students **** explored **** the **** floor **** of **** the **** monterey **** bay **** by **** studying **** video **** from **** remotely **** operated **** robots **** and **** middle **** school **** students **** were **** given **** time **** to **** use **** the **** hubble **** telescope **


 * students **** also **** use **** technology **** to **** collect **** data **** in **** their **** schools **** and **** communities **** for **** example **** using **** handheld **** computers **** outfitted **** with **** various **** types **** of **** probes **** students **** can **** monitor **** the **** water **** quality **** at **** various **** locations **** in **** nearby **** streams **** or **** lakes **** by **** transmitting **** their **** individual **** readings **** to **** a **** laptop **** computer **** in **** a **** field **** laboratory **** they **** can **** quickly **** graph **** their **** data **** and **** visually **** compare **** readings **


 * using **** technology **** to **** summarize **** and **** present **** findings **** in **** the **** past **** students **** memorized **** and **** used **** formulas **** and **** models **** created **** by **** others **** to **** solve **** problems **** students **** often **** used **** these **** formulas **** especially **** in **** the **** early **** stages **** of **** learning **** with **** little **** understanding **** in **** the **** early **** twenty **** first **** century **** computer **** tools **** provide **** the **** opportunity **** for **** students **** to **** construct **** and **** test **** their **** own **** models **** using **** tools **** such **** as **** spreadsheets **** or **** concept **** maps **** this **** type **** of **** instruction **** deepens **** students **** understanding **** of **** abstract **** concepts **** and **** allows **** these **** concepts **** to **** be **** taught **** at **** an **** earlier **** age **


 * once **** students **** have **** summarized **** their **** data **** and **** other **** information **** they **** typically **** communicate **** their **** findings **** to **** others **** in **** the **** past **** this **** meant **** writing **** a **** report **** to **** be **** read **** by **** the **** teacher **** writing **** reports **** is **** still **** the **** most **** widespread **** use **** of **** ict **** with **** number **** percent **** of **** teachers **** assigning **** students **** word **** processing **** tasks **** in **** addition **** to **** text **** students **** also **** use **** computer **** created **** graphics **** video **** and **** animations **** to **** communicate **** their **** ideas **


 * the **** teacher **** is **** not **** the **** only **** audience **** for **** students **** presentations **** students **** are **** frequently **** expected **** to **** present **** their **** work **** and **** receive **** feedback **** from **** their **** peers **** and **** the **** world **** outside **** their **** classroom **** whether **** they **** are **** using **** presentation **** software **** to **** accompany **** a **** face **** to **** face **** presentation **** or **** developing **** materials **** to **** put **** on **** the **** web **** the **** trend **** is **** for **** students **** to **** be **** able **** to **** communicate **** and **** defend **** their **** work **** to **** a **** broad **** audience **** this **** increases **** students **** perception **** that **** problem **** based **** learning **** is **** real **** work **** for **** real **** audiences **


 * using **** technology **** for **** collaboration **** and **** distance **** education **** there **** are **** many **** opportunities **** for **** individual **** students **** to **** use **** technology **** to **** enhance **** their **** learning **** these **** include **** online **** courses **** that **** provide **** students **** in **** remote **** locations **** with **** opportunities **** for **** customized **** curriculum **** and **** advanced **** placement **** courses **** these **** courses **** are **** conducted **** entirely **** online **** and **** offer **** asynchronous **** interaction **** among **** faculty **** and **** students **** because **** they **** allow **** students **** to **** participate **** anytime **** and **** from **** anywhere **** online **** courses **** are **** becoming **** increasingly **** popular **** among **** postsecondary **** students **** whose **** job **** and **** personal **** commitments **** do **** not **** allow **** them **** to **** meet **** a **** regular **** class **** schedule **


 * opportunities **** for **** interaction **** with **** peers **** from **** other **** countries **** can **** also **** contribute **** to **** knowledge **** and **** understanding **** of **** other **** cultures **** ict **** makes **** this **** type **** of **** communication **** possible **** for **** anyone **** with **** internet **** access **** for **** example **** the **** kidlink **** project **** encourages **** students **** up **** to **** age **** fifteen **** to **** use **** the **** internet **** to **** build **** a **** global **** network **** of **** friends **** kidlink **** participants **** discuss **** issues **** ranging **** from **** how **** to **** make **** and **** keep **** friends **** to **** war **** and **** peace **


 * teachers **** integration **** of **** technology **** in **** instruction **


 * research **** has **** shown **** that **** learning **** to **** incorporate **** technology **** into **** instruction **** occurs **** over **** time **** and **** follows **** a **** pattern **** initially **** teachers **** incorporate **** new **** technologies **** into **** the **** things **** that **** they **** traditionally **** do **** then **** after **** observing **** changes **** in **** their **** students **** including **** improvements **** in **** behavior **** absenteeism **** collaboration **** and **** independent **** learning **** teachers **** gradually **** begin **** to **** experiment **** and **** use **** technology **** to **** teach **** in **** new **** ways **** it **** often **** takes **** four **** years **** or **** more **** from **** initial **** attempts **** until **** changes **** in **** student **** learning **** can **** be **** observed **


 * research **** indicates **** that **** change **** at **** all **** levels **** will **** be **** necessary **** to **** bring **** about **** widespread **** and **** effective **** use **** of **** technology **** successful **** programs **** must **** devote **** a **** substantial **** portion **** of **** their **** budget **** to **** extensive **** professional **** development **** and **** technical **** support **** they **** must **** encourage **** a **** culture **** of **** collaboration **** in **** which **** teachers **** work **** together **** to **** explore **** more **** effective **** uses **** of **** technology **** and **** they **** must **** modify **** their **** assessment **** systems **** to **** measure **** changes **** such **** as **** deeper **** understanding **** and **** improved **** problem **** solving **** that **** result **** from **** effective **** technology **** use **


 * future **** trends **


 * advances **** in **** hardware **** and **** software **** have **** the **** potential **** to **** bring **** about **** fundamental **** changes **** in **** how **** technology **** is **** integrated **** and **** even **** in **** education **** itself **** computers **** formerly **** tethered **** to **** desktops **** by **** cables **** are **** being **** rapidly **** replaced **** by **** wireless **** laptop **** and **** palmtop **** models **** that **** free **** students **** to **** move **** about **** the **** school **** collect **** share **** and **** graph **** data **** on **** field **** trips **** and **** communicate **** their **** whereabouts **** and **** progress **** to **** teachers **** and **** parents **


 * monitoring **** students **** independent **** learning **** in **** these **** flexible **** environments **** will **** be **** supported **** by **** sophisticated **** new **** assessment **** technologies **** that **** will **** help **** teachers **** collect **** and **** analyze **** student **** data **** and **** make **** instructional **** decisions **** these **** tools **** will **** continually **** assess **** students **** work **** and **** provide **** feedback **** to **** them **** and **** their **** teachers **** such **** assessment **** has **** the **** potential **** to **** make **** time **** consuming **** standardized **** testing **** unnecessary **** and **** to **** personalize **** the **** curriculum **** for **** every **** student **** ubiquitous **** well **** integrated **** technology **** tools **** will **** bring **** educators **** closer **** to **** redefining **** the **** educational **** enterprise **** and **** providing **** customized **** just **** in **** time **** solutions **** for **** the **** learning **** needs **** of **** adults **** and **** children **